The invention relates to a device for reproducing information or executing functions, especially for bidirectional acoustic communication.
Although previously known devices for education and/or entertainment purposes use acoustic communication, it is only in one direction. For instance, although a cassette device outputs acoustic information, control of the cassette device takes place by use of buttons. Although portable computer games output acoustic and/or visual information, they are likewise operated by an input of keypad commands.
Devices with acoustic reproduction and exchangeable storage media which can be controlled by voice input have so far not been feasible on account of the large amount of memory space required for this.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device for reproducing information or executing functions which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which allows in the most convenient way possible the reproduction of information stored on exchangeable storage media.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a device for reproducing information and executing functions. The device contains a voice recognition device having a controller for controlling the device by spoken control information. A physical storage medium removably connected to the voice recognition device is provided such that the physical storage medium is exchangeable by a user. The physical storage medium has a first storage device for storing first data representing information to be reproduced and the functions to be executed and a second storage device for storing second data representing comparison control information. The second data being adapted speaker-independently to a target group being specific for said first data.
The invention is accordingly based on the idea of storing first data, which represent the information to be reproduced or the functions to be executed, and second data, which assist voice recognition, on a single physical storage medium, which can be easily exchanged by a user.
In a development of the invention, depending on the first data last output, specific second data are selected and used for assisting in the voice recognition. As a result, the voice recognition is facilitated.
In another development of the invention, the second data for assisting in the voice recognition are adapted to a target group that is specific for the first data. As a result, the memory space requirement is reduced, and the voice recognition is facilitated. Reproducing the second data available also has the effect of facilitating the voice recognition.
The invention is especially suitable for use in portable devices in which storage media such as smart cards, which are small, lightweight, robust with respect to vibrations and consume little energy, are preferably used.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the first data contain information on the second data.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the first storage device, the second storage device and the physical storage medium form a smart card, and optionally data can only be read from the smart card.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the first data and the second data substantially contain acoustic information and the device is used for bidirectional acoustic communication.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, at least one of the first data and the second data are stored in a compressed form on the physical storage medium, and can be selectively decompressed in the controller.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a device for reproducing information or executing functions, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.